The widening gap between the skills required by businesses and the know-how of a large number of engineering students got Raman Talwar started on his entrepreneurial journey.Vinay Dwivedi | ET Bureau | Updated: August 28, 2017, 12:48 IST

The widening gap between the skills required by businesses and the know-how of a large number of engineering students got Raman Talwar started on his entrepreneurial journey.

With an aim to help bridge the skills gap, through the aid of advanced technology, this 28-year-old engineering graduate founded Simulanis in November 2013.

“The foremost inspiration to start this company was my passion for building computer-aided simulation models that mimic real-life processes, followed by the desire to solve the challenging problem of the high unskilled population in our country,” says Talwar, Founder and CEO, Simulanis.

The company started out as a skills training enterprise that delivered computer-aided design and training services to engineering students. It subsequently branched out to providing simulated work environments to help train professionals as well.

Delhi-based Simulanis harnesses AR and VR technology to help companies across industries— pharmaceuticals, auto, FMCG and manufacturing—train their staff. It continues to work in the engineering education sector and has developed applications that assist students visualise challenging subjects and concepts.

The company, founded with an investment of Rs 15 lakh, put in by the founder, has faced several challenges. “From building the team, to setting up the office and acquiring the first customer, we faced a range of challenges. Developing a viable product in the most frugal manner was among our biggest challenges,” says Talwar.

For the first five months, Talwar and his team redefined what working 9 to 5 meant. “It was 9 AM to 5 AM for us. Sleep deprivation was being taken to an altogether new level. But, it was 100% unadulterated exuberance of passion and relentless hard work,” says Talwar.

Simulanis, which fared quite well in its first year of operation, saw its top line shrink in 2015-16 and course corrected to offer a wider bouquet of skills training pivoting to the ARVR tech-enabled products. The shift in the business model helped the company get back on track.

The change in strategy has also drawn investor interest. Apurva Chamaria, VP and Head, Corporate Marketing, HCL Tech and US-based venture capital firm Village Capital have invested in Simulanis. The funding amount hasn’t been disclosed. In 2016-17, it clocked Rs 62 lakh in revenue. Though the number is still modest, the startup is now set on a faster growth trajectory, says Talwar.

Since 2016, Simulanis has also won several awards including Science and Technology Entrepreneurship, Innovation, Strategic and Leadership Excellence Award from the government’s National Science and Technology Entrepreneurship Development Board, Tech Business of the Year 2016 from ASSOCHAM India and Global Ed-Tech Startup Award 2016 for Asia, among others.

The startup is now looking to expand its presence both in India and overseas. It has already started operations in the UK via a subsidiary. “Our goal is to become a truly world class AR-VR technology company delivering great value in the education and industrial training domain,” says Talwar.